


Blazing River

by Hungry_AloeLeaf



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24300061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hungry_AloeLeaf/pseuds/Hungry_AloeLeaf
Summary: Alternate Events AU, as I like to call it! Where Lionblaze gets Ashfur instead of Hollyleaf and Brambleclaw and Firestar have a cute father/son relationship (yay woo i love Fire being Bramble's dad go Firedad!).I know I'm not the first to consider an AU like this and, hey, probably even write it. Back then, it was practice for me.
Relationships: Lionblaze vs Ashfur
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Coolness lapped against Ashfur’s rough paws. His head was low as he watched his fur move with the tiny waves.

The sound of the stream was gentle. The clear water smoothed over the many pebbles and stones below its steady moving surface.

The water glistened in the sunrise, reflecting little flickers and bits and pieces of sun onto Ashfur’s sleep-ruffled face. The sun, slowly, as it rose over the trees, began to warm the cold, clear river. Ashfur raised his face to the light, never losing the sense of the water at his two front paws.

_Wasn’t it funny… how much water had a difference from fire?_

He sadly smiled at the thought. His paws, wet, cold, plucked a dry piece of grass from beside him. He dropped the grass into the river, and watched the bit of green quickly carry away.

Water let everything go downstream.

Maybe Ashfur could have done the same.

Regret burned like fire in his belly, causing him to dig his claws into the sweet coldness.

In the moment, it seemed like a good idea. Squirrelflight was desperate, her kits were nearly dead from smoke, and all Ashfur had to do was move over. He hesitated, to state his point. He found a secret, so deeply buried, that nobody else even knew except for the five cats at that fire.

He regretted knowing. He regretted telling Squirrelflight anything about how he felt… because she would never care.

_He regretted the fire._

And now, all four feet submerged in the water, he stood in the sunlight, like a morning bird scouting out the juiciest worm. He could always apologize. He could step down as a warrior and banish himself from the Clan without anyone’s knowing.

Ashfur breathed in, and exhaled loudly.

He didn’t know what to do.

He just knew that now, that he knew the secret, he had to make a choice. To tell, or not tell.

Telling would make him relive the heartache Squirrelflight had given him from seeing her and Brambleclaw every day, nuzzling, sharing tongues, raising kits together.

But telling would also mean he would destroy her.

He didn’t want to destroy her.

Now, sitting in the water, he didn’t want anything. He felt empty. Nothing made sense, and nothing ever would again.

He just wanted Brindleface, right now. A childish wish, but he felt like a kit now. She would run her paw over his head, place the other on his heart, and say:

“Ashfur.”

The spotted tom whipped about, blue eyes stretching wide at the sight of the cat that had padded from the bushes. The wind ruffled Ashfur’s pelt gently.

“Lionblaze…?” He swallowed, attempting to keep his voice steady. “I… it’s rather early for you to be up...”

The golden tom practically glowed in the sun, thick fur glossy, tail raised high. The large tom remained silent as he took a slow step in Ashfur’s direction. Ashfur’s stomach twisted at the darkness in his former apprentice’s eyes.

“Um… listen, Lionblaze, would it be alright if we just… discussed something?” The gray spotted tom stepped out of the water, shaking his paws free of some of the liquid. “I was thinking… about the fire…”

“Yes. I was thinking as well.”

Ashfur’s brow knotted in confusion at Lionblaze’s eerily calm and blunt tone. Every time that Ashfur had heard the young tom speak, he had seemed excited and talkative to some degree. There was no excitement here.

“Well… I just wanted you to know that even after all of those moons, being your mentor, I was upset at her. And I’m sorry that I brought you and the rest of your family into that.” The gray tom took a shuddery breath. “Hell, I shouldn’t have done anything. I was being wrong and stupid, and completely unfair to everyone. It’d be selfish of me to ask for forgiveness after everything I’ve done, so there’s no bother in asking you.”

Lionblaze tilted his head quizzically, one ear flicking as he puzzled a bit over Ashfur’s words. Then, he smiled warmly.

“It’s nice that you’re apologizing for you actions. You really have changed over the past few days.”

“Oh…” Ashfur awkwardly glanced at the ground, more specifically at the torn blade of grass. “Thanks, I guess. I should say the same to your brother and sister… and your mother…”

“That won’t be necessary.” Lionblaze purred, padding towards Ashfur at the pace of a casual stroll.

The sweet smile on his face dissolved into a nasty sneer.

“You won’t be seeing anyone again to tell them.”

“Now wait just a foxdunging-” Ashfur squealed in shock when Lionblaze bowled him over, pining his thin arms to the ground. “I just wanted to talk!”

“And I just wanted an appreciative mentor, to be happy thinking I was Squirrelflight’s and Brambleclaw’s, and to have my claws stay blood-free for about, hmm… a moon.” Lionblaze grinned, a malicious glint in his sun-colored eyes. “But look at us, Ashfur… it’s come to this…”

“No…” Ashfur pounded at Lionblaze’s belly with his back legs, not unsheathing his claws, but maybe enough to bust his former apprentice’s digestive tract. “Why are you doing this, Lion?”

The golden tom giggled loudly, tears of laughter falling onto Ashfur’s chest. The gray tom stopped battering his paws in confusion.

“Woo, sorry. That tickled like the Dark Forest,” The larger tom ran his tongue over his teeth, chuckling lowly. “Is it my turn now, mentor?”

Ashfur sighed.

“I was bound to die anyways…” But he swerved his head to gnaw fiercely at Lionblaze’s forearm. He quickly hooked some of the golden tom’s fur with his right set of claws.

The tom let out a hiss of pain before knocking Ashfur into the river with his other paw. The gray tom fell back against the rocks, yowling in agony when the back of his head pounded into the sharp edge of a stone that the water hadn’t smoothed down. His vision flickered to red, to white before he could spot Lionblaze standing over him with a sharp-toothed grin.

“Did I do well so far, mentor?” The golden tom teased, tongue going over his sharp teeth again.

Ashfur ducked before Lionblaze’s teeth made contact with his throat, clutching his pained head as he attempted the crawl away in the water. The current drove him back to Lionblaze, it wasn’t too hard with how weak his struggles were becoming.

Above him, Lionblaze laughed.

“Look at you, all feeble and desperate… not to mention bloody…” The golden tom put a paw to his cheek, and pretended to gaze at Ashfur admiringly. “It’s adorable.”

“You cheeky little piece of badger droppings…” Ashfur growled under his breath, claws scrabbling furiously at the smooth rocks for a hold. “I was actually about to feel sorry for you…”

Lionblaze’s expression shifted from mocking to enraged. Before Ashfur could attempt to stand, a paw slammed against the back of his head, unsheathed claws digging into his wound. His head was forced underwater, and he made the large mistake of gasping. Water leaked into his lungs. Ashfur never thought the cool water could burn as badly as fire in his nostrils.

“I don’t need you to feel anything for me!” Lionblaze snapped, arms trembling. “It’s taking everything in me not to mangle you to shreds right now, but the only reason why I’m keeping you in one piece… Well, it wouldn’t look like you drowned if you were clawed to death, now would it?”

Ashfur inhaled desperately, unable to grasp yet that all he could breathe was water. His lungs burned and scorched with pain, his head ached, his throat felt strangely dry as he was forced to swallow gulp after gulp of cold water.

-

However, Lionblaze hummed boredly, eyelids drooping a bit as he waited for Ashfur to stop moving. After a few long heartbeats, the smaller tom did. Lionblaze stepped away, onto dry ground, as the current decided to slowly carry Ashfur’s body, paw-length by paw-length downstream.

The golden tom yawned, observing his slightly bloody paws before licking them clean. The salty tang of the blood reminded him of mouse.

Maybe he could catch himself a mouse for breakfast, and describe his early leave from the Clan a solo hunting trip.

He could probably get away with eating the mouse too.

After all, he had just killed a cat.

_The lines between right or wrong were certainly getting to be blurry._


	2. the unfinished rest of it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> aaaahh this is still pretty old so this is not really how I see their relationship as of now. Also, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather make a little appearance

“Lionblaze!” The golden tom jolted in shock.

A part of him rapidly milled over the thought that someone had seen him torture and kill Ashfur. Before the horror could swell into his belly, Hollyleaf ran up to him, a worried expression on her face.

“Oh, thank goodness… I was worried when you weren’t in your nest. Starclan knows you hate waking up this early.” She gave his pelt a swift lick, observing the prey in his jaws. “You went hunting?”

“Uh-huh,” He mumbled through his mouthful, padding towards the medicine den instead of the empty freshkill pile. “Got hungry.”

“So, you already ate?” Hollyleaf frowned, unamused. “You know good and well that’s against the Code.”

“You know good and well I don’t care. Just step out of the way, okay?” The golden tom grumpily muttered, reaching the entrance of the dark den. He set the prey down with a tired sigh.

Hollyleaf swished her feathery tail, whiskers twitching in concern.

“You’re acting really weird today, Lion.”

He ignored her, worry gnawing at his stomach when he quickly picked up the prey again and squeezed into the den. Hollyleaf’s breath was on his tail tip when he called into the darkness.

“Jayfeather? Leafpool? I brought you both something to eat.”

“Really?” Jayfeather’s voice sounded eagerly from the darkness, and before Lionblaze knew it the prey was pried from his jaws. “Hey, there’s no vole in here!”

“Don’t test me today…” The golden tabby growled as a warning. He’d already killed one cat today; he wouldn’t mind roughing up another (although, playfully).

“I’m joking, Blaze… thanks for breakfast.” Jayfeather purred, just as Lionblaze’s eyes adjusted to the dark. “I was being too lazy to walk to the freshkill pile anyways…”

The gray tabby was sniffing carefully at the squirrel before passing the equally plump mouse to Leafpool, who was curled tightly in her nest. She lazily lifted an eyelid, and sniffed at her prey too. Lionblaze waited until they were finished checking the food to shove the other squirrel in Hollyleaf’s direction.

“You all can go ahead and eat if you want. I’m not too hungry right now.”

“Where are you going?” Jayfeather questioned with a mouthful of squirrel, licking the blood and meat from his lips.

“Just my nest before some patrol wants me. I’m exhausted.” Lionblaze hurriedly mewed, stepping over his sister before padding toward the exit. “I can hardly see straight…”

“I think we should all stay together,” Hollyleaf cut in, green eyes narrowing in fear. “What if… _you-know-who_ tries something after that fire?”

Lionblaze turned his face to hide his smile from his siblings.

“I’m not too worried about him, the coward. He’ll just have to deal with what happened in the past, I suppose.”

“I am…” Jayfeather shivered against Leafpool, who had slipped back into a light snooze. “What if he hurts you or Lion? Or even Squirrelflight or Brambleclaw?”

“Brambleclaw would beat his tail into the ground.” Lionblaze’s voice was strong. “Honestly, I don’t feel like talking about him. Just… if he tries to mess with any of you, come to me.”

“Well, if you say so.” Jayfeather ripped back into his prey, chomping eagerly on some cartilage.

“Just stay safe.” Hollyleaf nodded her goodbye to Lionblaze.

Lionblaze nodded back, slinking out of the den again and into the sunlight. That sun would be the same one Ashfur would never see again.

And although guilt was somewhere in him… it was smothered by satisfaction.

That cat tried to kill Firestar.

His siblings.

His mother.

_He deserved to die._

\---

Brambleclaw yawned, shifting in his warm nest comfortably. What was quite uncomfortable was the slim paw prodding his side.

“Bramble. Bramble. Bramble.”

“Stop…” The large brown tabby moaned sleepily, rubbing his cheek on the moss and breathing his own scent.

“You gotta wakey-wakey! There’s so much for my good little deputy to do today!” Firestar purred in excitement, curling his tail on Brambleclaw’s flank. “You have to organize the patrols, the morning border patrol, the hunting patrol, the water patrol, the other border patrol, the other hunting patrol, the second water patrol then the last border patrol, and the last hunting patrol. Isn’t this fun?”

“Ugh…” Brambleclaw grumbled, sitting up and shaking the moss from his disheveled fur. “I’d rather have a sleeping patrol…”

“I know, me too. But I can never sit still, so neither are you!” The energetic leader grinned, neon orange pelt gleaming along with his cheerfulness. “Now chop-chop! Or do I have to sit on you again?”

“Nope!” The brown tabby leaped up quickly, dashing out of the den. “Wow, it IS a beautiful morning!”

Firestar chuckled lightly, trotting outside and giving his deputy a small nudge.

“I suppose anything else looks beautiful to you when you’re not eating my tail fur.” The leader strode past his deputy, flicking his tail under Brambleclaw’s chin. “Hey look, there goes Lionblaze. You know how much he loves for you to say good morning to him.”

“Guess you’re right.” Brambleclaw glanced over at his son. “Good morning, Lionblaze!”

The golden warrior grunted, plodding past them and into the warriors den. The large tom flopped onto his nest with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and that's all I did. IDK why I'm posting it if it's not finished, and I kind of wished I kept going with this. But alas, I never do outlines or anything like that, so this was sort of expected. 
> 
> it a real shame too because it ended on sad Lionblaze and I don't want Lion to be sad


End file.
